Citigroup is dialling back on the hours young staff members are required to work, the latest big bank to try to improve working conditions for junior employees.

A memo released internally Wednesday encourages junior bankers — known as analysts and associates on Wall Street — to take off from 10pm on Friday until 10am on Sunday, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The memo said staff aren't expected to come into the office or log in remotely but can check email in case "critical issues arise".

The junior bankers also are required to take all of their vacation time.

The new rules apply only to two groups within the bank, the capital markets team and the investment banking unit.

The move by Citigroup, the third-largest US bank by assets, comes as other large banks rethink their policies toward young staff. Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, JP Morgan and Credit Suisse have told employees in recent months that junior staffers should have time off each month.

Analyst jobs, traditionally two-year entry-level positions on Wall Street, have a reputation for gruelling work hours and tedious assignments. After the financial crisis, companies saw a decline in the number of analysts who completed their programmes.

Other industries, such as technology, hedge funds and private-equity firms, were able to poach young bankers in part by offering better perks and working conditions. News of Citigroup's internal memo was reported Wednesday by financial-news website Dealbreaker.